Tongue-support for harvesters



No. 6|3.726. Patented Nov. 8,. |898l B. J. SHAFFER.

TJNUF SUPPORT FOB HAVESTERS.

(Ap'plication med me. s1. 1897.)

No Model.)

jefa/ami@ szw/fev?? UNITED STATES PATENT Genion.

BENJAMIN J. SI-IAFFER, OF SINGERS GLEN, VIRGINIA.

TONGUE-SUPPORT FOR HARVESTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,726, dated November 8,1898.

Application filed December 31,1897. Serial No. 664,926. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern.'

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN J. SHAFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Singers Glen, in the county of Rockingham and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Support for Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a ton gue-support for harvesting-machines, and has for its object to provide a simple, compact, and efficient construction and arrangement of parts adapt- Y ed for yieldingly attaching a rolling support or colter-wheel to the tongue of a harvesting or equivalent machine.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a tongue-support embodying my invention applied in the operative position to a tongue. Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective of the lower spring-clamps and contiguous parts. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 4t is a detail transverse section of one of the spring-arm seats. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a portion of the journal and the interlocking Washer detached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures of the drawings.

l designates a spring-arm having horizontally-disposed upper and lower extremities and an inclined -body portion, said terminal portions being removablyl fitted in clamps 2 and 3, of which the former is constructed for attachment to the under side of a machinetongue 4, while the latter carries a rolling support or wheel 5. Each clamp consists of a base-plate 6, channeled longitudinally at one side to form an arm-seat 7, said arm-seat being provided at an intermediate point with a perpendicularly-disposed stud S for engagement with an opening 9 in the arm 1 when the latter is seated in the clamp. Furthermore, each clamp is provided with terminal transversely opposite perforated ears 10, and the seat in the plate is spanned to hold the arm therein by clamp-bars 11, held in place by bolts 12, which engage registering openings in said clamp-bars and the ears of the clampplate. The seat in the plate is preferably of less depth than the thickness of the springarm, while the stud which projects from the plate is approximately of a length equal with the thickness of the arm, and the clamp-bars are recessed at their inner sides to t the exposed surface of the arm. The plate of the lower clamp is provided With a depending journal 13, mounted in a vertical bearing 14, provided with arms 15, between which said rolling support 5 is arranged, a scraper 16 projecting rearwardly fromr one of said arms and having a transverse portion positioned near the tread of the wheel to prevent accumulation of soil thereon. Said journal is reduced near its lower end to form a shoulder 17, against which bears awasher 18, provided with notches to engage studs 19 on the shoulder, and bearing against the washer and threaded upon the lower reduced extremity of the journal is a nut 20.

From the above description it will be seen that the upper clamp is constructed to allow the displacement of the upper end of the spring-arm by the removal of the clamp-bars which span the seat lin the clamp-plate, and in practice I preferably secure said clampbars in place by the same bolts. Furthermore, it will be seen from the foregoing description that the lower end ofthe springarm is removably seated and secured in the clamp-plate which carries the rolling support and that the frame in which said rolling support is mounted is swiveled upon the lower clamp-plate to allow it to follow the direction of movement of the tongue.

The construction as described is simple and provides for attachment to the tongue of a vehicle of any desired construction without special preparation of the vehicle-tongue.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I 1. ,Atongue-support for vehicles, having a the contiguous end of the arm, and of a depth less than the thickness of the same, a stud projecting perpendicularly from the seat and engaging an opening in the arm, clamp-bars transversely spanning the clamp-plate in contact with the exposed surface of the arm, and means for securing said bars in operative contact with the arm, substantially as specified.

2. A tongue-support for vehicles, having a spring-arm and means for attaching one end thereof to a tongue, a clamp having a plate provided in its upper surface with a seat to receive the lower end of the arm, a stud projecting perpendicularly from said seat at an 

